βυθός
bythós
G1037 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Physical or metaphorical depth, especially the profound depths of the sea or ocean; also used for great depth in a spatial or abstract sense. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, primarily refers to the open sea as a place of unfathomable depth or abyss; also extended in some contexts to denote deep places (physical or conceptual) that are vast, remote, and inaccessible.
Semantic Range
the depths of the sea, the bottom or lowest part (of water or land), abyss, profound depth (literal or figurative), deep place
Root / Etymology
Formed as a variation of βάθος (bathos, 'depth'), itself from the root βαθ- meaning 'deep.' βυθός appears in Greek literature as a poetic or elevated term for profound depth, particularly of the sea.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, βυθός regularly denotes the lowest or deepest part of a body of water, especially the sea (the abyss), and less commonly any place markedly deep, whether natural (chasms, gulfs) or metaphorical (profound depth of feeling or thought). In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, and in the New Testament and the Septuagint, it typically refers to the sea's depths, often highlighting the unfathomable, mysterious, or dangerous character of the deep. English translations often render βυθός as 'the deep' or 'the depths,' but this obscures the maritime emphasis that is prominent in Greek usage. Unlike ἄβυσσος, which can refer to any bottomless or limitless depth (sometimes with a supernatural or mythological nuance), βυθός generally represents concrete, physical depth, especially the marine abyss. There is some overlap, but βυθός is less likely to acquire strictly abstract or cosmological senses than ἄβυσσος in biblical Greek.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a variation of βάθος; depth, i.e. (by implication) the sea:--deep.
Root Family
βυθός (bythos) — deep, depth, abyss
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1037-01 |
βυθῷ | butho | N DAT M SG |
deep | in the abyssal depth | abyssal depth | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1037-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:25 | βυθῷ | butho | N DAT M SG |
deep | in the abyssal depth | abyssal depth |